1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a multiple tool device, and more particularly to a multiple tool device having a taping knife, hammer and/or screwdriver in combination.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taping knives and scrapers are well known in the art, and typically include a blade, which is used to spread joint compound and to apply tape, and a handle. Recent improvements in taping knives and scrapers include the addition of ergonomic handles, such as shown in Panaccione et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,799. This patent discloses a low friction handle to enable easy insertion and removal from a user""s pocket.
Other taping knives have included a solid bumper or hammer at the handle end of the tool. Such taping knives are used as a hammer when, during application of joint compound, a user encounters a raised nail that prevents a smooth finish. When this occurs, the user reverses the taping knife and hits the raised nail with the bumper end to sink the nail further into the wall. This allows the user to complete the joint compound application without having to use a hammer.
Typically, conventional taping knife/hammer combinations include a molded handle with a blade on one end and a press-fit bumper inserted into the opposite end. This type of tool tends to fail under the continued stress of applying both joint compound and hammering force on nails.
Another drawback of conventional taping knife/hammer combinations is that in modern construction, drywall screws are generally used for fastening drywall. A raised drywall screw typically cannot be sunk with normal downward force on a hammer. In this case, it is necessary for the drywall installer to use a separate screwdriver to sink the screw below the surface of the drywall.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a taping knife that overcomes the shortcomings of prior taping knives.
The present invention is a taping knife comprising a continuous shaft having a blade on a first end thereof, and a hammer on a second end thereof. A handle surrounds the shaft with the blade extending from one end thereof, and the hammer extending from the other end thereof. The handle preferably is constructed with a molded inner core and a soft molded rubber overlay. The hammer includes a hammering surface generally perpendicular to a central axis of the handle. The inner core is preferably constructed of a molded thermoplastic, and the overlay is preferably constructed of an injection molded rubber.
If desired, the handle may include a bit storage slot for receiving and storing a screwdriver bit. The bit storage slot may also include a magnet for securing a screwdriver bit in the slot. The overlay may include a plurality of flexible fingers adjacent to the bit storage slot for securing a screwdriver bit in the slot.
In one embodiment, the hammer includes a sleeve for receiving a screwdriver bit with a working portion of the bit extending from the sleeve. The sleeve may include a magnet at a base thereof for securing the screwdriver bit in the sleeve.
An alternative taping knife comprises a handle, a blade mounted within the handle, and a screwdriver or screwdriver receiving slot mounted to the handle. The screwdriver is preferably affixed to the handle at a distal end thereof parallel to a central axis of the taping knife. In one embodiment, the blade includes a tang end having a plurality of teeth, and the handle includes a cavity for receiving the tang end of the scraper. The teeth of the blade engage walls of the cavity for permanently mounting the scraper in the handle. If desired, a hammer face may be mounted to the handle, with the screwdriver receiving slot disposed in the hammer face. The blade and the screwdriver may be of continuous construction, if desired.
A further alternative taping knife includes a handle, a scraper having a blade end and a tang end, the tang end of the scraper being mounted in the handle, and a hammer mounted in the handle in contact with the scraper. A screwdriver or screwdriver mounting may also be mounted to the handle. In one embodiment, the hammer includes the screwdriver mounting.
A still further alternative taping knife includes a handle and a bit storage slot mounted in the handle for storing a screwdriver bit.
Another still further alternative taping knife includes a handle, and a hammer end mounted in the handle, the hammer end comprising a hammering face and a slot for receiving a screwdriver bit.
A method of manufacturing a taping knife comprises the steps of:
placing a hammer end in a first mold, the first mold being in the shape of a handle, the first mold structured and arranged to create a cavity open at a front end of the handle, the hammer end comprising at least one retaining cavity formed to receive plastic injected in the first mold;
injecting plastic into the first mold to form an inner core of the handle, the hammer end being exposed at the end of the cavity;
placing the inner core into an overlay mold and injecting a moldable rubber into the overlay mold to overlay portions of the inner core; and
inserting a scraper into the cavity with a tang end thereof abutting the hammer.